Cong promises to resolve dispute over canal waters

Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday promised farmers in Rajasthan that the issues related to canal water would be resolved by arranging a tripartite meeting of governments of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, if the Congress was voted to power in the desert state.

Jakhar was speaking at a rally in Bhadra segment of Hanumangarh. On the supply of contaminated canal water in Rajasthan, he said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had sought expertise and funds under the National River Conservation Programme or any other scheme to clean the rivers of the state. A proposal would soon be submitted to the Centre.

He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan had almost wound up Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) as the number of families to complete 100 days of work had reduced to 2.40 lakh annually from 4.69 lakh.

“Wages are being delayed for six months. The law and order situation is deteriorating. Over 5,000 villages are supplied water through tankers. Even in the chief minister’s own constituency, over 100 villages get water through tankers,” the Punjab Congress president claimed.